Unitary molded resilient plastic cap



June 17, 1969 MM BAiQBERA 3,450,299

UNITARY MOLDED RESILIENT PLASTIC CAP Filed Feb. 16, 1968 INVENTOR MANNIELA BARBERA BY @Wf? ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,450,299 UNITARY MOLDED RESILIENT PLASTIC CAPMannie La Barbera, Armonk, N.Y. (160 Hunts Lane, Chappaqua, N.Y. 10514)Filed Feb. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 706,134 Int. Cl. B65d 41/16, 41/62, 51/18US. Cl. 22042 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relatesto container caps and more particularly to a cap for a container adaptedto hold a liquid under pressure.

It is common practice to provide containers with liquid under pressurewith caps to cover their valves so as to produce an improved appearance.Such containers vary in size, especially the valve housing thereofresulting in damage to the caps when applied if they do not fitproperly.

A primary object of the instant invention therefor is to provide a capwhich will allow for a wide variation in manufacturing dimensionswithout danger of damage to the cap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cap of simple form whichmay be produced in quantity economically, which will fit a containersnugly even when there are variations in the size of, for example, thevalve housing, and which will enable the containers to be stacked one ontop of each other, without any danger of the valve being inadvertentlyactuated.

FIGURE 1 is a spread perspective view of a container with a cap made inaccordance with the present invention shown removed in solid lines andshown in position in dash lines.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the container showing the cap inposition, the cap being shown sectioned.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line 33 ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the improved cap, parts being shownbroken away, on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the improved cap, parts being shownbroken away.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawings, a cap madein accordance with the instant invention is shown in FIG. 1 anddesignated generally at 10. In FIG. 2, the cap is shown applied to acontainer 12 for perfume under pressure equipped with a valve operator14 and a ferrule 16. The cylindrical body of the cap has a side wall 18and a top wall 20 as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is open at the bottom.The cap seats on the top edge 22 of the body of the container.

In accordance with the invention and as best seen in FIG. 4, the cap isprovided with a number of vanes 24,

7 3,450,299 Patented June 17, 1969 three being shown. The vanes areperimetrically or circumferentially equally spaced with respect to theaxial or side wall 18 and are formed integrally with the inner surfaceof said wall and with the inner surface of the top wall. The body ofeach vane is formed integral with the inner surface of the side wall andfor the length of the vane, and its top edge 24 is integral with theinner surface of the top wall. The free long edge of each vane is formedwith a head 26. In accordance with the invention, the bodies of thevanes are disposed tangentially to the surface of the side wall ratherthan radially thereof. The bottom ends 28 of the beads curve slightlyoutwardly to facilitate passage over the valve operator 14. The beadedfree long edges of the vane are parallel to the inner surface of theside wall 18 so that each vane will be flexible so as to yield whenapplied to the ferrule 16 without imposing undue stresses to the Wall ofthe cap itself. The bottom ends of the vanes are slightly curvedoutwardly to facilitate application of the cap to the container forwhich it is intended.

The caps 10 in accordance with the instant invention are preferablyunitary molded resilient plastic bodies having vanes whose radialdimensions are small enough to assure flexibility in an outwardlydirection consistent with frictional engagement with the containersufiicient to avoid accidental dislodgement.

It will be understood of course that the edge at the open end of the capneed not seat on the top edge 22 of the body of the container 12 but mayseat on the shoulder 30 of the body of the container 12.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinventions it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary molded resilient plastic cap comprising a cylindrical bodywith a side wall and a top wall and being open at the bottom, forapplication to a container, a plurality of perimetrically spacedelongated vanes each having one long edge integral with the innersurface of the side Wall, for the entire length of said edge, and withone end edge integral with the top wall, each vane having a free longedge resiliently engageable with a portion of a container, whereby saidvanes are yieldable to relieve said walls of stresses during applicationand removal of said cap relative to a container, the bodies of the vanesbeing arranged tangentially of the inner surface of the side wall andbeads along the free long edges of the vanes, the bottom ends of thebeads being curved outwardly to facilitate application of the cap to acontainer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,203,577 8/1965 Parker 22042FOREIGN PATENTS 32,260 7/1962 Finland.

GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner.

